Life in Konoha's ANBU by Shezza

Chapter 36: Return

In the following weeks, the sudden ambush and subsequent retreat of Team Sigma was unnoticed by all. Whatever explanation or excuse was made for deaths of Akiyama Minoru and his families was completely overshadowed by the dramatic rise of civil unrest that plagued the nation. All throughout the land of fire, the civilian populace rose up in protest of one minor scandal to another.

Chunin Military Police officers were caught accepting bribes. Protest.

Konoha shinobi collateral damage destroyed the crops of a farmer. Protest.

Konoha shinobi were too slow in apprehending a pirate raid off the coast. Protest.

The new levy hit small businesses, gathering monies for the restoration and repair of villages damaged during the Blitz. Protest.

More often than not, they were minor affairs. Disgruntled citizens would gather at the nearest place of authority, shout a few things, and then disperse once Konoha's Military Police arrived to sort them out. Sometimes, it was easy to see the strings that were being played by the nobility, as both minor and major nobles used the rumbling discontent to their own advantage, playing citizens against other nobles, against the Fire Lord or against Konoha itself, purely for their own advantage.

Even Konoha wasn't unaffected. There were mutterings from some of the shinobi. The civilian populace of Konoha was beginning to be viewed suspiciously, and the posters that sometimes appeared for an hour or so before abruptly vanishing did not help.

The Fire Lord had called for calm, and for the most part it seemed to be working. There had been no more wild riots, and very few incidents of citizens acting violently towards the Military Police. When such a thing did occur, it was handled quickly and professionally, the person arrested and detained to await trial.

Despite the lack of violence, the tension was there. Something was festering beneath the surface of the Land of Fire, and all it would take would be a single spark to set it off. As such, there were those who needed to ensure that they would be ready for the oncoming storm.

"Dodge!"

Naruto darted backwards, avoiding the barrage of shuriken that peppered the ground an instant later. Before he could regain his footing, a blur of movement appeared to his left, and he hastily fucked a kick, before bringing both arms up to block a hefty blow. The force behind it sent him sliding backwards, his sandals scraping against the ground.

Even before he had stopped, Naruto had flipped through two hand-seals and brought his hands up to his lips. He inhaled, reared his head back and spat out fire. It rose up, the air suddenly becoming hot, a giant, spiralling ball of flame three times his height surging forward. Despite the fierce power behind the technique, the blond ANBU knew that the technique would not connect. Nonetheless, he hadn't used it with the intention of wounding his opponent, and between the raging fires, the smoke and heat, Naruto was able to escape using the Body Replacement.

It was a good escape, and one performed just in time. A few moments later, the perfect sphere of flames was gutted and its form collapsed, a giant, writhing mass of flame falling upon the ground, grass and shrubs catching alight. A loud-pitch whine filled the air as two streaks of water burst through the flames and caught the log that Naruto had replaced himself with dead on. They high-pressurised bullets of water pulverised the wood, smashing it into splinters.

From his new position on one of the many trees that surrounded the clearing, Naruto watched on. He was panting, his brow sweaty, and his limbs shaky. Fighting against such opponent was tiring. Nonetheless, blind stubbornness kept him going on.

Lightning Release: Electromagnetic Murder!

He slapped his hand on the branch as he channelled lightning chakra through his fingertips. Wood creaked and groaned as a furious discharge of surging bolts tore through it, racing towards the ground. It left the base of the tree in a surge, tearing apart the earth and shattering stone as it roared towards the fiery mess in the centre of the clearing. A large figure was casually lumbering out of it, and the lightning screeched as it smashed upon a hefty, spiked shield.